voco St. David’s Cardiff review: explore the vibrant Welsh capital from a modern five-star

The modernisation of Cardiff is something of a work in progress. The road to Cardiff Bay is dotted with old industrial buildings, many of which have long been abandoned or turned into something else. But the Millennium Stadium and “Doctor Who effect” have played a part in introducing many to the joys of the Welsh capital.

There’s much to enjoy in this city, with more to come, and the voco St. David’s is a five-star base from which to explore it all.

Why stay here

The voco St. David’s is an impressive building. It’s a little too stylish to “loom”, but it’s certainly big enough to have a considerable presence. Basically, it looks like someone has lopped off a chunk of one of those supersized cruise ships and attached it to the shore – and the result is glorious water views across the bay.

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Outer rooms have lovely balconies (where you can, should you wish, indulge all your “king of the world!” Titanic fantasies) – plus a very stylish, spacious interior that again brings to mind a vast liner. Add in a pool/spa, a bar, an expansive restaurant space (again with water views) and some very charming and friendly staff and you’ve got a modern five-star from which it’s very easy to explore this vibrant city.

Eating and drinking

The hotel’s bar and restaurant is The Admiral, a large but well-thought-out space that, in the establishment’s words, is “eclectic”. As someone who’s suffered several culinary disasters under that particular description, I’m pleased to say that’s not the case here.

The menu, for the most part, is a crowd-pleasing list of classics that, where possible, celebrate the Welsh larder, not to mention Welsh heritage. That’s certainly the case with the cawl croquettes served in brown sauce, which may be the perfect Welsh bar snack: deep-fried, crispy and potato-y, with a rich filling of the classic local stew.

Elsewhere, there are references to sources and suppliers, from the Caerphilly cheese on the grilled asparagus to the pleasing Pembrokeshire crab cakes via assorted meat dishes from Cefn Mawr Farm. Less successful is a Tandoori cod burger which had either seen the inside of the tandoor for too long or been sitting under a heat lamp for many minutes before my arrival. Whatever the reason, it was less “cod burger” and more “coaster in a bun”. And, while this dish should never have made it out of the kitchen, kudos to the excellent waiter who spotted my disappointment from a distance, agreed with my diagnosis (hard not to when the burger couldn’t even be cut with a knife), offered several solutions, raised the problem with the kitchen and took the item off the bill.

Problems happen in busy kitchens, people; it’s how they’re dealt with that sets restaurants apart and this was a textbook great response. The accompanying fries are very nice though, ditto the (perfectly cooked) broccoli with smoked garlic and shallots. And the Bara Brith bread and butter pudding is an absolute belter. In the mornings, the space becomes the scene of a vast (and decent) breakfast buffet.

What to do

As mentioned above, this hotel is a great spot from which to explore the city of Cardiff, as it’s a short drive – or, should you fancy it, a 30-minute (riverside) walk – to the centre or the Principality Stadium. The immediate scenery – the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve – is also a pleasing space for a stroll.

Also as mentioned above, the voco St. David’s has a rather fine spa with a decent-sized pool, and roomy sauna as well. There’s also a wide range of treatments available, from beauty treatments (using ishga products) to rather more intense massages, as well as a recently launched selection of men’s treatments. I can thoroughly recommend the ishga Hot Stone Massage which was 50 minutes of bliss. Or, indeed, 20 minutes of conscious bliss, and I’m assuming/trusting they did the extra 30 minutes while I was snoring.

Getting there

The hotel is a relatively easy drive from the M4, a 20-minute walk (or short taxi ride) from Cardiff Central Station, and 13 miles/25 mins away from Cardiff Airport. And should you have access to a helicopter, the Cardiff Heliport is only a ten-minute drive away…

voco St. David’s Cardiff, Havannah Street, Cardiff CF10 5SD; stdavids.vocohotels.com